A servant to Sir Cuthbert Halsall.
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: between 1635 and 1644.
Place of Death: unknown.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: unknown.
James in his will leaves his daughter Jenet a chest “which was her mothers”.
Spouse: Ellen Bond. Married 20 July 1629 in North Meols.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register. James names his wife Ellen in his will. It is clear from the will that she is not his first wife.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
William Balshaw married Margery Jump 1 June 1629 in North Meols.
Jenet Balshaw (buried 14 March 1639/40 in North Meols) married Thomas Ball.
James Balshaw (baptized 15 September 1595 in North Meols - buried 21 [?] November 1671 in North Meols).
Elizabeth Balshaw (buried 25 November 1606 in North Meols)
George Balshaw (baptized 24 April 1608 in North Meols - buried 7 March 1628/9 in North Meols)
John Balshaw (baptized 29 April 1630 in North Meols)
Evidence
from the North Meols (St Cuthberts) parish register:
September 15 James the sonne of James Balshaw [1595]
Elizabeth the daughter of James Balshaw sepulta the 25th day [November 1606]
George the sonne of James Balshaw baptiz the xxiiijth day [April 1608]
George Balshaw fil Jam was buried march 7 [1628]
James Balshaw married Ellin Bond July 20 [1629]
John Balshaw fil Jam was bapt April 29 [1630]
from the Lancashire Archives catalogue (DDCL/19):
Lease for 3 lives at 20/- rent : for £25 : Sir Cuthbert Halsall of Halsall to James Rimmer of Birkdale, husbandman -- messuage (16 ac.) in Birkdale -- for lives of J.R., Margaret daughter of James Balshaw, and John son of Nicholas Rimmer. Witn. James Balshawe, Cuthbert Rymer, William Norres.
23 April 1621
James’s will:
In the name of god amen upon the xxiiijth day of May in the yeare of our lord god 1635 I James Balshawe of berkdall sick in bodie but whole in mynde & of good & p[er]fect Remembrance praissed be to allmightie god my maker & Redeemer trusting by his death & passion my soule to be saued & my bodie to be buried at or in the p[ar]ish churche of nroth meales & my worldlie goods to be devided as Followeth/ Item I give & bequeath unto my son Willm xij d Item I give & bequeath unto James balshaw my sonn towe ould horses a hay Cart & the great wheeles & towe ould plowes towe peare of treas & on Coller alsoe I give unto my sonn James on brase pott on flaxen sheete & on Couerlet also I give unto Richard Rimer my godchild xij d I give & bequeath unto Edward Wright xij d I give unto Thomas bale xijd I giue unto my doughter Jenet balle on litle Chist which was her mothers I give unto James Johnson xij d also I give unto dorothie Arnould xij d Item I giue unto Thomas balshaw my grand child yewe hoge I give unto Jenet Balshaw on lambe I give unto Elin Balshawe on labe I giue unto marget Balshaw on lambe & for all the Rest of my goods moueable & unmouable I giue & bequeath unto Elin my wyfe & John balshaw my sone to pay all my debtes & funerall expences & the Rest & Residue to Equallie Devided betwene them & thus I ordaine & make my soule executors Thomas Rymer & Elin my wyfe to execute this my last will & testament a Right as my trust ys in them
Debts which I owe
Richard Parke v-0-0
Thoams Rim[m]er 1-0-0
John Ball 1-0-0
Jennet Ball 0-v-4
Mr Hen: Wright v-v-0
Richard Johnson 0-v-0
uxr Richard Abram 0-10-0
Ellnor the wiffe of Willm Rimer 0-v-0
more debts which I owe
Richard Abrams
more debts owing unto me
Mr Henrie Ashton 0-1-1
John Dickes -0-1-0
uxr Willm Balshaw 0-0-vj
Marie Berch vij s
Willm Berch viijs iiijd
The marke of X James Balshaw
In witnes hereof
Richard Rymer
Willm Norres
A true and p[er]fect Inventorie of all the goods & cattells of James Balshaw of Birkdall deceased, praysed by Nicholas Rymer, John Rymer, William Bond and Richard Rymer the 24th day of Sept. 1644.
Imprimis in Cattle --xvj-0-0
In horses--iij-0-0
In sheep -iij-v-0
In Corne --x-0-0
In hey--1-13-4
One swine--0-viij-0
In Carts and wheeles --0-xij-o
In plowes and one harrow - 0-v-0
In Beife--1-iij-0
In pewter -- 0-xv-0
In Wollen Beddinge--1-xij-0
In feather Bedes and boulsters-- i-0-0
In Linnen -- 1-3-0
In Cowfers -- 0-ix-vj
In Bedstocks - 0-vj-0
In Woodden vessell -0-vj-0
In Wollen and Wollen yarne -- iiij-0
In stooles boards & farrows viij-0
In Iron thinges --iiij-0
In Hempe and flaxe --xij-0
In earthen thinges --0-x
In Butter --vij - 0
In twill and sacks --0-iij-0
In sives--0-0-3
In poultrie--0--0--ix
One wiskett--0-0-3
All his apparell -- 0-x-0
sum[m]a totalis 44-14-11
[There are also different copies of the inventory and will on the microfilm.]
[Proved 19 November 1646 by John Balshaw, natural and legitimate son of James Balshaw, deceased.]
Testimony given in 1662 by James’s son James (Bland, p. 49):
James Balshaw, of Birkdale, aged 68, said that his father lived as servant to Sir Cuthbert Halsall, finding his house in rabbits, fish, and foules...
References
Bland, E. Annals of Southport and District. (1903).
Parish Registers of North Meols (St Cuthberts). Digital images on FamilySearch.org.
Will of James Balshaw. Proved 1646 in the Consistory Court of Chester. Digital images on FamilySearch.org.